Self-assembled monolayers (“SAMs”) form the basis for molecular nanodevices, flexible surface functionalization, and dip-pen nanolithography as a few examples. SAMs may typically be created by a potentially inefficient process that includes thermally driven tethering reactions of the precursor molecules on a surface, followed by a potentially slow and defect-prone molecular reorganization. This thermal activation process may be required for a self-assembly operation.
Alkanethiol SAMs on gold may provide several applications. The three-dimensional (“3D”) character of the alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers SAMs may provide such advantages. The properties of the sulfur-anchor group of the alkanethiol molecule may be one example of molecules that work for the transition to a 3D geometry. However, complexity of the sulfur-gold chemistry produces defects within the monolayer. Furthermore, a reliance on thermal fluctuations to drive the tethering reactions reduces the degree of control over the interfacial chemistry, and necessitates non-trivial approaches to nanoscale patterning or substitution reactions within the self-assembled layer.